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‘Excuse me.’
‘Something wrong, Miss Hayward?’ Jonathan swirled the ruby-red wine that a passing waiter had just poured into his glass, leaning nonchalantly back in his grand Regency-style chair to enjoy the view as his shapely young employee rose hastily to her feet. ‘No. I’m fine.’
Why did he have to notice everything she did? Was she forced to announce to the entire table that she had a sudden pressing need to visit the Ladies’ Room? Why couldn’t he just talk to the stunning blonde sitting next to him? The woman had been batting her eyelashes at him practically since they’d sat down. But apparently in the bedroom department Jonathan Faraday didn’t give women his own age the time of day—no matter how beautiful. He liked them young, so she’d heard on the grapevine. Bad luck for Maya that she’d only just turned twenty-five…
‘I’ll—I’ll be back shortly.’
Escaping before he could delay her further—or, worse, find some nefarious reason to accompany her—Maya found herself hurrying down corridors, the echo of her heels hitting the parquet floor mocking her as she struggled to find her bearings. Oh, why had she agreed to this farce? Now she was stuck out here in the middle of nowhere, dependent on her lech of a boss for a lift home—and not until midday tomorrow, if what Caroline had said was true. Apparently Jonathan was in no hurry to get back to London until mid-afternoon at least. Maya’s head swam a little. The glass of champagne she’d had had been a dangerous lapse in judgement. She should have insisted on orange juice or mineral water. If she was going to get out of this little escapade with her virtue intact it was essential she kept a clear head—so no more alcohol for her, even if Jonathan insisted.
Her green eyes flicked hopefully round. She could have sworn there was a bathroom round here somewhere… Pushing open twin cream doors with ornate gilded panels, she found herself in a long, high-ceilinged room, its panelling painted in tastefully calming hues of pink and cream. A welcoming fire blazed in the huge marble fireplace, tempting her to stay and re-establish some of her lost composure.
Gazing round, Maya was momentarily distracted by the elaborate array of expensive-looking art that adorned the walls, and the seductive glow of antique lamps turned down low that cleverly created the illusion that the large, elegant room was actually more intimately proportioned than it really was. Succumbing to necessity, she gave in to the luxury of breathing out completely. Her tight bodice almost cracked a rib, while her lush breasts appeared in dire peril of escaping their velvet confines any time soon.
What had possessed her to wear such an outrageous dress? Okay, Caroline had told her the dress code was black tie and evening wear, but surely she knew that, when she’d borrowed the garment from her smaller-built friend Sadie, she was courting trouble by wearing it? Especially when Jonathan Faraday was around!
‘If Jonathan’s the confectioner, then clearly you’ve got to be the candy.’
At the sound of an amused yet obviously mocking male voice, Maya spun round in shock, mortified that she’d been observed when she had stupidly imagined herself to be alone. Her hand flew self-consciously to her cleavage, her teeth worrying at her plump lower lip as she stared at the man who suddenly rose from the high-winged chair turned towards the fireplace. Why hadn’t she noticed he was there straight away? A shiver of embarrassment and frustration sprinted up her spine. Staring transfixed at the imposing stranger, she felt his electrifying gaze welding her to a hypnotised standstill.
‘And you are…?’ Not that she really wanted to know, when inside she was silently fuming at his impertinent assumption that she had somehow been invited purely for decoration.
‘I see you haven’t done your homework, Miss…?’
Of all the arrogant…!
‘I work for Mr Faraday.’
‘Of course you do. You work for me too in that dress, if I may say so?’
Scorching embarrassment immobilised her. Blast that stupid dress! And blast her eye-catching curves, when life would have been so much easier if she’d simply been straight up and down and flat-chested.
‘If that was meant as a compliment, then forgive me if I don’t take it as one. It’s not at all flattering to be viewed as some kind of decorative object…as if I don’t possess even a modicum of intelligence! I’ve met people like you before, and I’m…’ Maya paused to take a breath, before biting her tongue. ‘Yes, well…I’d better not say any more. Time to go, I think.’
‘What do you mean, you’ve met people like me before?’
